Yes, we did it. Sadly, we missed earning the first leg to our title, but I am so proud of him nonetheless, as he put forth a beautiful protection routine today (even earning full points on one of the scenarios)...

Anyway, I will add more tomorrow, and will hopefully be getting video in the next few days...but I did want to give everyone on PBT a HUGE thanks for sending your good thoughts. They obviously worked (I wouldn't have thought otherwise)!

My leg is killing me after 2 days of being on my feet, but I just wanted to say thanks to all of you!

Oh, and I also need to say thank you to my training director, Jerry Bradshaw, without his guidance I wouldn't have even known how to get started this weekend; Greg, my honey...I love him, and he supports me in all I do...and the decoys who have really helped me (even when Greg was out of town) to work to get Cy ready for this weekend: Josh Stone, Charlie Marks, and Shawn Edwards!

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

Thank you SO much everyone. It was truly a great weekend...though I'm still not sure if it's hit me, yet, that I'm the National Champion! I feel like someone needs to pinch me!

Let's see...Saturday. Obedience didn't start very well. The very first thing was a retrieve over an A-Frame. There was a decoy on each side doing some light agitation. It didn't work quite the way I had planned. He went over the a-frame, then came right back. I tried twice...it didn't work. I gave up and kept going. The biggest problem was the fact that I was giving too many commands. The last two times I've shown Cy he bit during obedience (they tend to frown upon that), so I was a bit gun shy...well, a lot gun shy. I guess I was playing it ultra safe, and ended up costing myself a lot of points. There were also several things that Cy didn't do. I don't know if it was a lack of training, or he was just completely "frustrated" because he wanted to bite. At any rate, I only scored a 60. That wasn't very good, and I didn't earn enough to pass (I needed 80 to pass); but the other dog bit in obedience, so I went into protection on Sunday 60 points up.

So, we get to Sunday and protection. For the first scenario I stood at a cone, about 20 feet in front of me, there was a jump, with a decoy next to it. There was another jump diagonally to the right of me. At the start, the decoy next to the jump in front of me hit the jump with the clatter stick, then ran behind the jump; I had to send Cy over the jump in front of me to bite that decoy. He got worked, then there was an out and guard. While he was guarding, the other decoy walked over to them. Cy had to remote transport back to me. About halfway back, the decoys took off in opposite directions, Cy simply had to bite one of them (didn't matter which). Another out and guard, then remote transport the rest of the way back to me. He did the entire scenario beautifully! He passed that scenario.

Second scenario, again, had the jump in front of me. But now, 2 decoys started off on a four-wheeler. They drove up to me, where one decoy jumped off, and did some breakdancing (yes, he really did) next to me. The other decoy drove back to behind the jump and got off the four-wheeler. I had to send my dog over the jump to bite that decoy. Then it was an out and guard; then remote transport back to the four-wheeler. When he got the four-wheeler, the decoy next to me attacked me. I had to call Cy back to bite the guy attacking me. It was an out and return back to me. Again, did it beautifully, and passed that scenario.

Third scenario was a call off. However, it was modified from a level 2 scenario. They used the same set up of the field that they use in the 2's with the caution tape, etc (where Cy had such an issue even going down field). Well, I had to send Cy to bite one decoy. Then it was a mandatory out and return. Then another decoy came out from hiding, and fired 2 shots. I wasn't allowed to send Cy until the second shot. I sent him, then I had to call him when he PASSED the caution tape (I could've zeroed if he didn't go down field or if I called him too early). Well, let's just say I had people worried that I had forgotten to call him off...because i waited. I was told he literally called off about 2 feet from the decoy. I scored a perfect score of 60/60 on that scenario.

The last scenario was a tough one. I was on a start cone about 20 feet away from the back of a cargo van. There was a decoy next to me. There were 2 decoys standing about 5 feet apart about 10 feet from me. The decoy next to me was talking/breakdancing (yes, again). The decoys in front me agitated then took off to the back of the van, and jumped in. Then one decoy got out and ran to the front of the van. I had to send my dog into the back of the van for a bite. HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO BITE THE OTHER DECOY AND I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE START LINE. I sent him in, and he bit. It was a mandatory out and return back to me. At that time, the decoy he was just biting got out of the van, and closed the back doors. He went to the side of the van, and grabbed a large equipment bag in front of him. I had to send Cy to bite (this is called a fended-off scenario where the decoy tries to fend off your dog)...he only had a few seconds to be able to get the grip...well, he did exactly as I thought and took a leg (which he's been trained to do)...then it was an out and guard, which he held beautifully even with the equipment bag over his head! Again, he passed!

Well, needless to say, we had a great day! We got many comments about how good we worked together, and how great he did!